Residential comparison · 13 facts
El Mirage, AZ vs Surprise, AZ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in El Mirage needs about $97,500 in Surprise to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Surprise, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $72,500 in El Mirage.
A few differences
- Surprise is higher on median household income ($96,711 vs $78,050).
- El Mirage is lower on cost of living index (102 vs 111).
- El Mirage is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,797/mo vs $1,940/mo).
El Mirage vs Surprise · facet by facet
| Facet | El Mirage, AZ | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $321,900 | $435,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,797/mo | $1,940/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| State & local income tax | 1.64% | 1.64% |
| Sales tax | 8.4% | 8.4% |
| Cost of living index | 102 | 111 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $190/mo |
| Median household income | $78,050 | $96,711 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 4.8/10 | 4.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 290 days | 290 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: El Mirage, AZ · Surprise, AZ
Questions & answers
- Is El Mirage cheaper than Surprise?
- El Mirage has the lower day-to-day cost index (102 vs 111 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Surprise equals $85,000 in El Mirage?
- A household earning $85,000 in El Mirage needs about $97,500 in Surprise to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Surprise lifestyle costs about $72,500 in El Mirage.